


Stranger Danger Wing Man

by MadManta



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Canon Divergence, Chapter 8, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:27:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28346124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadManta/pseuds/MadManta
Summary: Aerith knows a man is going to show up at her church -- she doesn't know anything about him, but she does know it would be nice to have a little help from Reno to 'break the ice'. It goes just about as how you'd expect.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife, Reno & Rude (Compilation of FFVII)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 42





	Stranger Danger Wing Man

**Author's Note:**

> Merry belated Christmas, Elise!! I'm your secret santa, and I wrote some goofy-ass Clerith with Turks. I hope you like it~~
> 
> Note, a lot of the dialogue is not the same as from the game, because I can't be bothered and I mean, I changed the outcome *anyway* so...

Aerith could not explain how she sometimes would simply know when something would happen. She wanted to say it came to her in dreams, but that didn’t seem right. She wanted to think it came from her prayers, but all she received from that was the never ending flow of life, a hum of soulful aches and joys. Unfortunately, when Aerith knew something would come to pass, she only _knew_. Like there was a whole bank of thoughts locked away in parts of her mind she couldn’t fathom to release, but sometimes, a fleeting scene would come to mind, and a day.

Tomorrow, a man would show up at her church.

She didn’t know his name, or much about him at all other than the color and shape of his eyes. She knew that there was something special about him, that her heart skipped when she thought of this day and this meeting. She also knew that it was the third Thursday of the month, which meant that Reno would be stopping by to give her a hard time, as usual.

Aerith dug out a small piece of paper from an old diary in her bedroom. She waited until Elmyra went to sleep, and then she slunk down the stairs and curled herself around the phone in the living room. She was going to do something she had never done, which was use the little piece of paper. The number she dialed was not for Reno — she had no idea how to reach him — but instead for his partner, who had given her the number in confidence years prior (‘Just in case.’).

“Is Reno with you?” she asked when he picked up.

Rude’s voice rumbled with amusement, and didn’t even reply to her, just passed the phone to his ever-present other half with the murmur of who was on the line.

“That you, princess?” Reno teased.

“Listen to me,” Aerith said, her voice one note above a whisper. “Tomorrow something very important is going to happen. For me.”

“If you’re tellin’ me not to come out there,” Reno began.

“I was hoping you would help me,” she said, cutting him off. “There’s this…boy.”

There was a tussle on the phone as she listened to Rude attempt to wrest it from Reno’s hands. He failed. “You want me to kill him for you, sweetheart?” Reno asked in that way that implied he’d enjoy it very much.

“No! Gods, no,” Aerith laughed. “I haven’t met him yet.” The line went quiet, and she continued. “But he’s going to show up tomorrow, and I… It’d be nice if you could maybe help ease our meeting. Break the ice.”

She could hear his hesitation. “You want me to show up on a blind date to help grease the wheels?”

“It will be at the church. It’s no date.”

Reno was quiet. “You want me to be some kinda stranger danger wing man.”

“Those are your… Carefully selected words,” Aerith said, her voice teasing. “I don’t want any trouble.”

“Then you talked to the wrong man,” Reno said coolly. “Don’t worry, kid. I’ll show up with bells on.”

Aerith nodded, and then gasped. “Wait, I don’t—”

“Good night, Aerith!” Reno sang, and hung up on her.

“—want you to hurt him,” she finished, sighing.

This may have been a mistake.

* * *

He was crushing her flowers, but he was so banged up that she could only think about his wellbeing as she raced to the soft flowerbed. The hole in the roof was small, but obvious, and she was furious that her mind hadn’t produced a little more helpfulness about how he’d show up. She’d thought he might stroll in looking for help, not literally crash into the church like a shooting star. She kept a couple feathers in her pocket for special occasions — normally when something bad had happened to a local child — and was glad that the phoenix down made his eyes flutter open.

And that confirmed it: gorgeous blue eyes, altered by the glow of mako, like she’d _known_. His blonde hair, spiked out like a bedhead halo, had a bit of dirt and grit in it. His cheek was blue with bruising, and his bare arms weren’t free of cuts and bruises either. Then it hit her: she recognized him. He bought a flower from her.

“Guess you’re really not okay,” she said, watching him try to shake the lost consciousness loose. The church was full of shafts of light, and he blinked his eyes in confusion as his pupils readjusted. “You took quite a fall without so much as a ‘look out below!’”

“You’re…?” he asked, stumbling to his feet. She reached out with a hand to help him up, and introduced herself as Aerith. He was awkward, announcing his name: Cloud. She couldn’t help but grin a little at the juxtoposition of a _cloud_ falling from the sky.

“Luckily, my flowers broke your fall. Like, really lucky,” Aerith said, gesturing, and Cloud began to apologize for stepping on them. It was strange, to have him here. It felt like deja vu, except she had no idea what words would come next from his lips.

“Maybe you could help me out,” Aerith began, smiling at him. “While you gain your bearings.”

Cloud stepped away from the flowers carefully, and then scuffed his boot against the creaky old floorboards. “I guess I could stick around for a little while.”

“Really!?” she buzzed, shooting to her feet with excitement. “I have—”

The church doors opened with a clatter, and there was her wingman, but he was flanked by an unusual entourage. Both Aerith and her new visitor stared as the Turk stepped through the threshold, smirking and tapping that rod against his shoulder. “I’ll let myself in, thanks.”

Aerith’s mouth worked in surprise. She’d told Reno to _help_ her, and he brought _military police_ with him!?

“Who the hell is this?” Reno spat, head tilting like a man analyzing his prey.

“He’s my bodyguard!” Aerith blurted out. “And a SOLDIER. Pretty cool, huh?”

Cloud’s head whipped around to stare at her in disbelief. She looked embarrassed, b ting her lip. “Sorry,” she whispered. “Bodyguarding isn’t so different from merc stuff, right? Just do this for me, okay?”

Reno tapped his rod impatiently on his shoulder. “You kiddin’ me with all this?” he muttered.

“Fine,” Cloud said, pulling his sword in front of him with determination. “But it’ll cost you. A lot.”

Aerith’s eyes narrowed just a little with sly promise. “Sure! One date should cover it.”

“ _What?_ ” Cloud asked, but Reno didn’t give him the chance to contradict her. Aerith stepped behind the flowers and watched as Cloud dispatched of the Helmets with grace and precision. Reno had jumped up onto a ledge to watch, crouching like a gargoyle. She gestured up at him: _What the hell are you doing!?_

Reno saluted her with the night stick, and then mouthed: _Testing him, girlie._ Then he leaped down, landing on his feet. “Alright, SOLDIER boy,” he said, whipping his magrod out as it crackled to life. “Let’s see what you got.”

Aerith regretted telling Reno about this _entirely_.

Cloud had already been banged up, but seemed able to keep up with Reno’s painfully fast movement. She’d only barked at them once to stay out of her flowers, and to her joy they had both flinched and went about their fighting. Cloud was also able to overpower Reno, the enormous sword an effortless counter to the contant barage of Reno’s attacks. Reno ended up on his knees, with Cloud about to land a finishing blow—

“Wait!” Aerith shouted, dashing up to them. “Cloud, let’s just get out of here!”

Cloud grunted in shock. “This guy just tried to kill me—”

Reno coughed out a little blood. “T’schyeah right,” he croaked. “I was takin’ it… Easy on you… Hhh.”

“Do you know this rat man?” Cloud asked, and Aerith grabbed him by the gauntlet.

“Let’s get out of here before more of his dumb flunkies show up,” she said. “We can get out the back!”

Cloud nodded, and jogged back. Aerith stared at Reno with a whispered, “You’re the _worst_!” Then she was chasing after Cloud, up the stairs and out the hole in the ceiling.

Cloud, it turned out, was a lot of fun. Sure, he was quiet and grumpy, but he was awfully easy to tease, and his soft cheeks turned pink in irritation. He also seemed perfectly content to help walk her home once she announced she could handle his Cure materia, and wasn’t helpless when it came to her staff.

“I thought that thing was a walking stick,” Cloud said after they took out their first Venomantis. Aerith just hummed at him.

“There’s more to me than a pretty face,” she winked, and got him to blush again.

On their way back, they got sidetracked, but it was for Cloud’s benefit. He had admitted to be a mercenary, and she knew a _lot_ of people in the Sector that could use the help with a little Gil to spare. Seeing him so painfully awkward around the kids at the orphanage was worth its weight in gold as well. The final task involved gathering a load of flowers for Ms. Folia, and Aerith grinned at him. “You want to help me pick some flowers?”

“Do I get a choice?” Cloud asked, but when she grabbed his hand to pull him along, he went willingly, the corner of his mouth tipping up despite himself.

Her home was a little paradise in the slums, with running water and the thousands of flowers popping up all over. He’d had to stop and just _look_. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anything like it before. It didn’t help that he saw Aerith in the midst of them, smiling at him. She was the sun, and every flower turned to her for her radiance.

He couldn’t help but do the same, approaching her and dropping down to help pick flowers in whites and yellows and pinks.

“You look extra full today,” Aerith was saying as she snipped a flower here and there, tucking them into her basket.

“Are you… Talking to the flowers?” Cloud asked slowly, even as he awkwardly pulled the flowers up with nervous twitches of his hands.

“Sure,” Aerith said. “Sometimes it’s just nice to have someone listen. Or to say something nice without feeling like you’ll get it in return.” She turned to him with a shy smile, her expression soft instead of the constant tease she’d had going on all day. “Keeps you humble, you know?”

Cloud stared at her, mouth working, before he just gave a soft ‘mm’ of agreement and went back to picking flowers. She kept her secretive smile to herself as they gathered the last items needed.

They walked back to the orphanage, only to be stopped by a tall, dark man crouched in the path. He stood, and Aerith had to restrain a groan of defeat.

“Hello, Aerith,” Rude said, dusting one knee off. “This your new boy toy?”

“Can’t you leave well enough alone?” Aerith asked, putting her hands on her hips. “This is my _bodyguard_ , thanks.”

Rude looked at them both over his sunglasses before he pushed them up the bridge of his nose. “Ah, so he’s the one who beat up Reno.”

Cloud turned back to Aerith. “How many of these suits do you know?” he asked.

“Too many,” Aerith said with a sigh. “We were just leaving, _Rude_ , so if you don’t _mind_.”

Rude held up his hand. “You’re not going anywhere without me.”

“E-excuse me?” Aerith asked. Oh, gods. What now?

“Those flowers for Ms. Folia?” Rude asked, glancing down at the basket and back up at Cloud’s face. “Aerith, why don’t you take those to her, and I’ll take Cloud here out for a drink.”

Aerith and Cloud stared at him in shock. “ _What?_ ”

“Do you know how many men have managed to take out my partner?” Rude asked, and came up to slap the palm of his hand against Cloud’s back — where the sword wasn’t covering. “ _Two._ ”

“Listen, buddy,” Cloud began.

“Reno started it!” Aerith interjected.

Rude’s mouth twitched, but still appeared painfully straight-laced. “I just wanna talk to the man who cut down a Turk so easily, _and_ who seems to have the eye of my friend here.”

“ _Rude!_ ” Aerith stammered, aghast. “You’re embarrassing _me_.”

“Come on,” Rude said. “One drink. Aerith can join us afterward.”

Cloud stared between the two of them, at a loss, before Rude was guiding them out towards the bigger town area. Aerith elbowed him as they walked. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing,” she hissed, “but it’s not helping.”

Rude glanced over at her with a tiny smirk. “We’re not gonna let just any Joe Blow date our favorite Cetra sister.”

Cloud wasn’t sure how he’d managed to get wrangled into walking into a dank slum bar with a man that looked like a damn Turk without Aerith, yet there he was, crowded into a booth with Rude bringing them both a glass of cloudy alcohol. Rude slid in across from him and then took a small sip. He didn’t even betray the taste of the cheap moonshine with a grimace. He was practiced in the art of hiding his feelings. But: so was Cloud.

Cloud did not even pick up the drink. “What’s this about?”

“Aerith is a special woman,” Rude began.

“Look, buddy, I’m just helping her get home. That’s all this is.”

“Is it?” Rude asked, tilting his head a degree. “She seems quite taken with you.”

Cloud scoffed, refusing to look away or be intimidated. “I did save her from that rattail joke, if that’s what you mean.” The mean words worked, as he saw Rude’s eyebrows twitch at the mention of Cloud’s morning warm-up.

“Reno can be abrasive,” Rude said, “but he means well.”

Cloud just folded his arms. “Whatever. I just have to take her home, and then I’m outta here.”

“You just did,” Rude pointed out.

Cloud stared at him. “Huh?”

“What do you think that little cottage surrounded by flowers is?” Rude asked, smirking now. “Too taken with her to notice, too?”

Cloud was getting flustered now, pushing the drink away. “She didn’t say anything,” he said defensively.

“She’s _special_ , Mr. Bodyguard,” Rude said, and lifted an eyebrow sharply above his sunglasses. “And if you hurt her, you’ll have the fury of the Turks come down on you.” He sipped his drink again.

Cloud choked. “You _are_ Turks, huh?” He picked up the glass and took a long drink that time. “Well, nice meeting you, but I’m gettin’ the hell out of here, before—”

Aerith burst through the bar door. “Whatever he told you, he’s a big dumb liar,” she announced, and put a hand on Cloud’s shoulder. “Let’s get goin’, okay?”

Cloud’s eyes drew closed. “Sure. Anywhere’s better without a Turk around,” he said, a little too loudly. Other eyes in the bar drew in on Rude, who’s mouth drew into an unamused line.

Cloud was out of the bar an instant later, and Aerith glared daggers at Rude. “I thought Reno was bad,” she said. “You’re even worse! What did you tell him!?”

“Just keeping your yard clean for you, little lady,” Rude said, and picked up Cloud’s drink to finish it off. Aerith kept her sound of frustration quiet as she stomped out after Cloud, who was already hightailing it away from the bar.

“Wait!” she shouted, and chased after him. Cloud stopped, shoulders rounding in defeat as her boots reached him. “I’m… I’m sorry,” she began. “Whatever he told you…”

“He said you were special,” Cloud said, not looking at her. “And that they’d come after me if…” He shook his head. “So let me just take you home, and then we can be done with all this.”

Aerith’s lip shook a bit, though it wasn’t from sadness. Her brows furrowed in frustration. “But I still owe you a date, and both of them are just big dumb guard dogs. They can’t do anything to you.” She folded her arms. “I won’t let them.”

Cloud regarded her for a long moment, finally looking her up and down. “You’re tougher than you look, huh?”

“Got that right,” Aerith said defiantly.

“How come you didn’t tell me the flower place was your house?” he asked, folding his own arms now in a mirror to her own gesture. Her face grew pink, and he realized in mild horror that she _was_ a pretty face. Not that he didn’t know before, but after spending the whole day with her, the charm seemed to glow out of her, even when caught in a lie.

“I mean, it was just for one last job. I wanted to get that done before…” She bit her lip. “I was hoping you’d come over for dinner. Elmyra makes a great meal.”

Cloud spread his hands. “Sure, that sounds like a date. Then—”

“What? Eating dinner with my step mom isn’t a date. Gross, Cloud,” she giggled, and reached for his wrist. “We can arrange that after you eat.”

Cloud stared at her in disbelief. What was worse was that as they walked, he found himself following her and was practically excited to sit down and eat a hot meal without AVALANCHE shouting all around him. He found himself muttering, “You really are special, huh?”

Aerith blushed, rolling her eyes as she gave him a gentle shove. “Don’t get all sappy on me, now. That’s my job.”

Cloud just shook his head, and couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped at this strange, brassy flower girl.

Maybe a date with her might be more exciting than he’d think.

* * *

Rude watched the two head back down the path to Aerith’s place. Reno limped out of the alleyway nearby, grumbling. “I don’t like him,” Reno said as the pair disappeared.

“You’re just mad he served your ass to you,” Rude said. “Only a guy like that is strong enough to handle Aerith.”

Reno rolled his eyes. “He’s a little bitch,” he grumbled. “C’mon, let’s get the hell out of here. Tseng said something about an emergency meeting.”

Rude sighed. “Hope they’ll be alright.”

“Sentimental asshole,” Reno teased, and let Rude slide an arm around his back to help him walk to the helicopter pad across town. “You better talk about me as nicely as you do her.”

“Your ego can only handle getting so much bigger,” Rude said with a tiny smirk. “Hers is in the dirt. It’s not the same.”

“Pretty sure my ego is on the damn floorboards in that fuckin’ church,” Reno huffed, and he wasn’t even mad when Rude laughed out loud at him.

“Sounded like you deserved it. She said you started it.”

“I can’t believe you’re taking her side! I was _helping_!”

“Remind me to not ask you for help, then,” Rude chuckled, and Reno’s head fell against his chest.

“Whatever. I’m the exact wing man she asked for,” Reno said. “They went home together, didn’t they?”

Rude couldn’t argue with that.


End file.
